Pump locking device



1935 c. R. BUCHET PUMP LOCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25,

3mm CONRAZZ 7? 500x179" Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNETED STATES PUM'P LOCKING DEVICE Conrad R. Buchet, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to Repeal BrassMfg. 00., Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 25, 1933, Serial No. 653,522

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in pump flow control means and hasparticular reference to oil and gasoline pumps, such as are used atautomobile service stations.

Briefly stated, the invention has for its primary object to provide ahighly simplified device of this character which will be controlled bythe level of the fluid being pumped, and which will operate to shut offthe flow of fluid when it falls below a certain level in the tank, inthis way assuring the prevention of short measure.

Another object of the invention is to provide operating means includinga cup element submerged in the fluid, and which when the fluid dropsbelow a certain level by reason of weight of the fluid in the cup willcause operation of the shut-ofl to prevent flow of fluid.

The invention also resides in certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of the various parts, and in modes ofoperation, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in theart upon reference to the accompanying drawing in connection with thedetailed description to follow.

It is to be understood that the drawing illustrates what now appears tobe a preferred form of the invention. However, of course, variouschanges may be made within the spirit and scope.

of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a pump cylinder and piston, andillustrating one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating a modifled form of my invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of a slight modification.

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein the same referencecharacters have been used to designate the same parts in all views,numeral 3 denotes the cylinder of the conventional gasoline or oil pumpsuch as is used at service stations. This cylinder will of course belocated in the usual tank 0 and provides the piston chamber 3 withinwhich works the piston which is generally designated as at 4 and isprovided by the cups 4 4 whose bottom portions are clamped together bythe nuts 6 on the connecting rod 5.

The piston 4 is provided with the check valves which comprehend thecasings 1 adapted to be inserted through registering holes in the bottomof the cups 4 4 and to be held in place by means of the flanged plugs 1which thread into the lower end of the valve casings 1 and draw to dropto the dotted line the flanges 1 thereof tightly into contact with thetop surface of the upper cup.

The cap 1 provides the fluid inlet 8 and the seat for the ball valve 9,While the casing 1 provides the fluid outlet 1 above the bottom surface5, of the cup 4 The operation of the pump is, of course, familiar and nospecial reference thereto is necessary.

Still referring to Figure 1, it will be noted that the cylinder 3 isprovided at one side with the 10 bracket Iii which is secured in placeas indicated at II. Such bracket I 0 provides the bearing I2 for thepintle or pivot element I3 of what is substantially a bell crank havingthe arms I4, I4. The arm I4 of the bell crank terminates in a 15 floatcup I5 while the arm I l has its lower end provided with a forwardlyextending arm I6 which is or may be curved downwardly slightly as shown,although it may be plane or substantially so. 2

The cylinder 3 is provided with a hole I1 and, as shown in Figure l, theflange of the piston cup 4* has a hole I8 which is adapted to registerwith the hole I1 50 that, upon occasion, the end of the forwardlyextending arm I6 can be projected through the registering holes I1, I8to lock the piston 4 against movement.

A spring I9 on the curved or arcuate arm I6 bears against the cylinder 3at one end and against the arm I l at the other end. The strength ofthis spring is such that it will prevent the arm I6 from being projectedthrough the hole I1 in the cylinder except when the level of fluid inthe tank is such as to allow the cup I5 It is important to remember thatthe cup I5 will ordinarily be submerged in the fluid of the tank whichsurrounds the cylinder 3 and naturally there will be fluid in the cupI5. However, so long as the fluid in the tank remains above the 40 cupI5, the cup will be substantially floated and this, with the action ofthe spring I9, will prevent the end of I 6 from extending through thehole I1 of the cylinder. However, when the level of fluid in the tankfalls the weight of the cup full of oil will be sufiicient to overbalance the spring and the end of the forwardly curved arm I6 will beengaged through the hole I1 of the cylinder, so as to bear against thepiston, and when the" piston comes to the position shownin Figure 1 itwill pass through the hole I8 to lock the piston against furthermovement until such time as the tank has been resupplied with fluid.

In this way it is, of course, impossible to pump short measure and thepurchaser of gasoline or position. 35

piston 4 sity for the locked arm or element l6.

I have illustrated the cylinder 20 as provided with the bracket 23secured in place by suitable fasteners 24. Such bracket 23 provides atits outer end a bearing 23 for the pivot or other element 25 of therockable arm 26 whose outer end is provided with the cup 28 while itsinner end is provided with the cup-like closure 21 for the lower end ofthe piston chamber 2|.

Naturally when. the fluid in the tank is above the level of the cup:28,. the weight of the cup-like closure 21 for the end of the cylinder2| will be suflicient to hold the same in the dotted line position ofFigure 2. However, when the level of fluid in the tank falls below thelubricant containing 0111228, theweight of the fluid in such cup andalso of course the weight of the cup will cooperate to over balance theclosure weight 21 and the same will be forced to the full line positionto close the end of the cylinder 2| and that prevents the entry offluidthereinto and of course prevents operation of the piston 22 because ofthe vacuum that-will be created below such piston 22.

The simplicity and other advantageous features of my pump will bereadily appreciated. For instance, in the structure shown in Figure 1, Ieliminate the necessity for any special construction of the piston 4. Itis not necessary to provide the with any lugs or catchers to engage alatch; and furthermore, there is no latch element within. the pistonchamber except when it is desired tolock the piston; Still referring toFigure 1, from the fact that the arm I8 is not turned in the arc of acircle whose center is pivot I3, it will be apparent that if the arm |6should be projected through-the hole ll into the wallof cylinder whenthe piston were atits upper position that movement of the bevelledportionof' the cup 4 of the piston against the arm It would simply serveto rock it out of the way, so that the end would simply bear against theside of the piston duntil' theopening l8 was reached.-

The structureof Figure 2 eliminates the neces-- It, as stated, alsoincorporates a novel actuating cup 28. The structure of Figure 3 shows afurther slight modification wherein the valve'bushing 38 secures anL-bracket 3 I, whose depending'arm 3| has the latch recess 32 forreceiving the latch end 34- of the bell crank 34, which is pivoted as at35 in a second bracket 36 welded or otherwise secured to the pump shellwall 31.

The outer end of bell crank 34 has a cup 38 like 5 28, Figure 2, and nonovelty is claimed for the valve 39 per se.

A coil or other spring 48 secured at one end to 31 and at the other endto bell crank 34 tends to hold latch 34 that the piston may be freelymoved up and down until the fluid level drops below a predeterminedpoint. Then the weight of fluid in cup 38 actuates latch 34 to latchingposition.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I 15 claimas new is:

1. In a dispensing unit including a fluid container, a pump structurecomprising a cylinder and piston. mounted in said container, saidcylinder and piston having holes adapted to come 20 into alignment,fl'ow control mechanism for the pump comprising a bell crank pivoted tothe wall of the cylinder, a float cup secured to one arm of said crank,a latch element at least in part carried by the other arm of said crank,said latch element adapted to engage said holes when aligned when thefluid in said container falls below a certain level, and a springinterposed between said second mentioned arm and cylinder and tending tomaintain said latch disengaged from said piston hole.

2. In a dispensing unit including a fluid container, a pump structurecomprising a cylinder and piston mounted in said container, saidcylinder and piston having holes adapted to come into alignment, flowcontrol mechanism for the pump comprising a bell crank pivoted to thewall of the cylinder, 2. float cup secured to one arm of said crank, .alatch element at least in part carried by the other arm of said crank,.said latch element adapted to engage said holes: when aligned when thefluid in said container falls below a certain level, and yielding meanstending to maintain said bell crank in position to render said latchinoperative.

3. In a dispensing unit including a fluid container, a pump structurecomprising a cylinder and piston mounted in said container, said cylmentat least in part carried. by the other arm 5 of said crank, and saidlatch element adapted to engage said holes when aligned when the fluid.in said. container falls below a certain level.

CONRAD R. BUCHET.

out of latching position so 10

